Sunday, 29 January 2017

Women that inspire me: The importance of supporting each other

2016 was a rocky year for a number of reasons within politics, and now, a month into 2017, I fear the same route is being taken leaving me fearing for the rights of so many and questioning the system we live by. Despite those concerns and fears, the Women's Marches of late January have left me with a sense of empowerment and inspiration as I saw men and women of all backgrounds, identities and ethnicities come together to challenge the changes which are an infringement on the basic rights of human beings. I've felt a sense of disbelief and fear that this is what the world is becoming, and so although this post may not be revolutionary, I thought it was important and much needed in sharing some positivity and love. I'm constantly inspired and motivated by the work and achievements of other women and so today I'm giving mention to those who push me to become a better person and channel some girl boss vibes whenever possible.

First things first is Ruby Tandoh, baker, chef and columnist extraordinaire who I first discovered after she was a contestant on one of my favourite shows of all time, The Great British Bake Off. A powerful voice within the LGBTQ community, Ruby brings a whole lot of sanity to my social media feed by challenging the wellness and clean eating industries and bringing joy and love back to food which I feel we all need a little more of in our lives. Ruby inspires me to be unapologetic in challenging industries and people I disagree with and is in general one of the most compassionate and bad ass women online. Her love for One Direction further fuels my admiration for this lady and I can't help but feel I would get along with her so well IRL. If you're looking for some sanity in the food industry which can often be dominated by cacao nibs and superfood powder, follow her to bring a guilt free attitude to food onto your feed! Life is too short not to eat the cookies!

Next up are the two Charlotte's from Betty magazine, AKA the ultimate independent mag for all things fashion, lifestyle, food and the best Instagram feed to ever exist. Like ever. I am constantly inspired by the determination these ladies have shown in making their business a success, and adore both their physical magazine, social media feeds and website for the best travel recommendations going! Charlotte Jacklin is one of my fave Instagram Story contributors, and snooping at what adorable items she's bought for her future baby has quickly become my favourite pastime. Their account is one of my go-to's for style and brunch location inspiration; basically Betty is a one-stop-shop for aesthetically pleasing EVERYTHING, and I apologise in advance for the dent this is likely to leave in your bank balance. I'm super excited to see what is to come for Betty in the future and look forward to supporting these girl bosses throughout!

Estee Lalonde has consistently remained up there within my top 5 YouTubers and bloggers because of her hilarious sense of humour, gorgeous family and totally goals sense of style. Estee inspires me for a number of reasons, but largely because of her distinctive style of videos and continuing to do 'her' rather than taking the easy route when faced with negative comments. I love her determination to stand up for issues she values, particularly when participating in the recent Women's March in London (she had one of the best placards going) and general 'no f**** given' attitude to life. I love women that support other women, and so have a lotta love for Estee and the positivity she brings to my Twitter feed daily. Her style is effortlessly 10/10, and everything about her attitude and outlook on life inspires me to be a happier and more positive human!

If you aren't familiar with Polly Vadasz then honestly, where have you been. I met Polly for the first time in 2015 after following her and her business ventures for years and she's included in this post purely because she is THE most determined, entrepreneurial and talented person I have ever met. Her online store Sighh Designs stocks an incredible range of products from phone cases to enamel pins and tote bags and everything is of the highest quality that I'm left in awe of how incredible Polly is. Not only has she begun her own business at such a young age, but she juggles a degree, boyfriend AND social life which almost puts my efforts of having my life together to shame. Her style of work is so unique and it's been a pleasure watching her shop's journey through the years; she's definitely one to follow if you're into supporting smaller businesses and the perfect human to have on your radar if you ever need some girl boss inspo.

Although this post is intended to take a step away from politics, I couldn't help but give mention to Abby Tomlinson AKA the creator of the Milifandom from 2015s general election and all round politics queen. Making politics relevant for a generation that seems to be labelled as not interested is quite a feat, but judging by her over 30,000 Twitter followers (including Ed Miliband and Sadiq Khan themselves) she was a success in doing so! Similarly to the women above, her determination and resilience against the odds has earned her ultimate respect from me and I aspire to be as educated and all round talented as her! The way Abby tackles negativity is another of her amazing qualities and I can't help but wish I was as all round inspirational as her! Definitely a must follow.

I would love to know which women inspire you in the comments! Let's share the love and support one another, now more than ever.